Sigyn decided that whichever Midgardian had come up with the idea of a swivel chair should be awarded a medal. She couldn't help but spin round and around as she waited for Fury to arrive so they could start the meeting. When she had decided to ask for S.H.I.E.L.D's help she didn't think that her time would be filled with such pointless and boring gatherings. She already had a plan in mind so why did they have to sit around discussing things that she had already covered or were irrelevant? Spinning in her chair was Sigyn's silent form of protest, and it didn't go unnoticed by the others in the room. She could tell they were impatient too, and they each displayed it in their own way. Sigyn noted each of these little habits as the world spun around her. Dr. Banner played with his glasses, Steve tapped the pointer finger of his right hand to the beat of some unheard song, Stark would lean back in his chair before rolling his eyes upward and yawning, Agent Romanov kept tucking the same strand of hair behind her ear, Agent Barton cracked his knuckles, Agent Hill chewed on her lip, Thor hummed off-key, and Loki would occasionally rub his temples as if to relieve a headache. Sigyn had no clue why Director Fury was taking so long to get to the conference room, but after waiting for thirty minutes she did know that she was having second thoughts about spinning for so long. When Fury finally showed up Sigyn stopped spinning her chair, but it took a minute or two for her world to stop whirling.
"Sorry I'm late, I was in the middle of an unpleasant phone call." Fury apologized.
"The Council?" Agent Hill replied knowingly.
"The Council." Fury confirmed. "Apparently they have found out about our Asgardian guests."
"How?" Steve asked.
"I don't know. My best guess is that they have eyes on Stark tower or these headquarters."
"What did they say?" Agent Hill asked.
"They wanted me to confirm the whereabouts of Thor, Loki, and Sigyn."
"And what did you tell them?" Sigyn asked nervously. She didn't know much about this 'Council' except that they had been willing to destroy the city of New York and its citizens to get rid of Loki.
"That they were insane if they thought I would let Loki, a war criminal, take a family vacation on Earth." Fury replied.
"That won't be a very convincing lie if the Council has eyes on our base." Agent Barton pointed out.
"What do they know about Sigyn?" Stark abruptly asked.
"Not much. They don't have a name or her relationship to Loki and Thor. All they know for sure is that she is an Asgardian." Fury admitted.
"And even then they are only partially correct." Loki pointed out.
"Why is the council even concerned by our presence?" Thor asked.
"Given the last two times you and Loki have been involved here I can understand their interest." Fury admitted. "What bothers me is that once they confirm that Loki is here they are going to want to take him into custody. They weren't very pleased that I allowed you to take him back to Asgard in the first place."
"You're concerned about my well being? I'm touched." Loki mocked.
"Hardly. What concerns me is that you are an Asgardian prisoner, and with Thanos prepping to take on the Nine Realms the last thing Earth needs is a fight with Asgard." Fury reasoned.
"Loki's fate is on my head." Sigyn assured. "I was the one who took him from Asgard so the AllFather will have no one to blame but me if something happens."
"We can discuss who is to blame later." Fury replied. "Right now we need to focus on getting you off the Council's radar."
"I already know how." Sigyn cut in before anyone else could. "Well, I know how to get me off of their radar at least."
"How?" Fury probed.
"I have four more Infinity Gems I need to locate. The sooner I start my search the better."
Before Sigyn could continue explaining however, Loki, Thor, and Tony started tripping over themselves to be heard first.
"You cannot go off on your own!"
"You are in no shape to be going anywhere right now."
"You were actually serious about that plan?"
The three men looked at each other, but Fury held his hand up to keep any of them from speaking again.
"One at a time gentlemen. First off, I think Sigyn's plan has merit. If Thanos is able to collect the Infinity Gems, then we are in serious trouble. Seeing as she is the only one of us qualified to protect them she has to be the one to go in search of them. I do agree with Thor though, I am not comfortable with the idea of sending you alone…"
"You will not have to." Loki replied. "I am going with her."
Everyone in the room turned to face him in surprise, and Fury's one eye studied him skeptically.
"Loki, I am not sure that is a good idea. The Chutari are after you, and if they catch you…" Sigyn began telepathically, but Loki interrupted her.
"I am very well aware of what will happen if they catch me, but you need my knowledge of the Realms. You have never been to any of them. I have."
Doubt still flickered in Sigyn's eyes.
"You cannot hope to do this alone Sigyn."
Deep down she knew he was right, but it didn't stop her from worrying.
"Ok, for the moment let's assume that we allow Loki to go with Sigyn. Why is she in no condition to be going anywhere right now?" Fury demanded.
"Sigyn used too much of her magic yesterday. If she begins Realm jumping today you might as well begin digging her grave." Loki warned.
"I have to agree with Loki." Dr. Banner concurred. "You can see the exhaustion in her eyes. If she pushes herself too hard too soon she will be a sitting duck for Thanos."
Sigyn considered disagreeing, but the drain from the day before was too obvious to deny.
Fury paused to consider this newest information before addressing Loki.
"How long before Thanos makes his next move."
Loki shrugged. "It is impossible to say."
"Give me your best guess."
"I would say five days before his next aggressive move. He did not send his entire force into Alfheim yesterday, but a defeat is a defeat. He will take today to regroup and rethink his strategy. It is likely that he will take the next three to four days in Svartalfheim and Muspelheim to recruit the Dark Elves and Fire Giants. He might also venture into Jotunheim to enlist the Frost Giants, but it is impossible to say."
"Five days…" Fury mused.
"That's not a lot of time." Natasha pointed out.
"No, but it will be enough to give Sigyn and Loki a three days head start."
"Three days? Shouldn't it be four?" Sigyn protested.
"Three. Today we send you and Loki to a friend of ours to rest, and tomorrow we test your skills before you head out." Fury explained.
"Test my skills? What good will that do?" Sigyn asked.
"None, I'm just curious."
Sigyn couldn't help but feel that "testing her skills" was a waste of time, but she needed to choose her battles wisely so she let this one slide.
"So who exactly is this friend of yours?" Loki asked with a hint of suspicion.
"You'll see when you get there." Was all Fury would say on the matter.
"What of Thor?" Sigyn asked, suddenly realizing that Fury had only mentioned Loki going with her to this friend of his.
"Thor will stay here and help us devise a plan that will allow us to help you from a distance, as well as acquaint us with the ways of the other Realms. He and the rest of the Avengers will join you tomorrow." Fury stated.
Neither Sigyn nor Loki could ague with his reasoning, and allowed Director Fury to lead them to an awaiting vehicle. The Agents in the car never acknowledged Loki or Sigyn as they drove to an undisclosed location. Sigyn was glad that she had brought her new book with her, and began to read it enthusiastically. The SUV pulled to a stop, and Loki and Sigyn were let out. They were then escorted onto a small plane that was waiting for them. Sigyn attempted to ask where they were headed, but was told that she was not allowed to know that information yet. She had half a mind to just search the Agent's mind for the answer, but decided that it would be a bit too rude to do so.
Sigyn read for the entire four-hour flight. The book Loki had picked was very much to her tastes. Most would peg her for the kind of girl that liked to read sappy romances, but in actuality Sigyn preferred something with a darker edge to it. She enjoyed it when the stories ended happily, but she was more concerned that the work was thought provoking. On the plane's arrival, the Agent escorted Loki and Sigyn onto the tarmac. One look at their surroundings caused Loki to groan.
"What's wrong?" Sigyn asked slightly concerned.
"I know where we are."